Intellectual Ventures I  LLC v. Ricoh Americas Corporation, et al., C.A. No. 13-474 - SLR, March 22, 2016

Robinson, J. Defendant’s motion for judgment on the pleadings based on section 101 is denied.

The court applies the analytical framework of Alice. The patented technology relates to methods of operating a scanner using signals that control the operation of the image sensor and the stepper motor.  The court concludes that the claims do not claim the formula for determining parameters, nor do they seek to simply implement the formula, and are therefore not directed to an abstract idea.  With respect to step 2 of the Alice analysis, the claimed solution is described with sufficient specificity and place meaningful boundaries on the inventive concept so as to foreclose preemption.